Using the Internet to communicate with HAP is completely voluntary. You should read this statement to understand the benefits and risks of communicating over the Internet. If you do not choose to communicate with us over the Internet by sending us an email or using one of our Internet services requiring an ID and password, you browse our web site anonymously.

Information from Other Sources - Third Parties

Health Alliance Plan may purchase consumer information from third party sources to be aggregated and used for marketing purposes for people who are not current HAP members. If you prefer not to have your information from third parties used for marketing purposes, please notify the HAP Customer Service department in writing. Mail your request to:

HAP is committed to protecting the privacy of the personal information you provide to us over the Internet. All information is protected by our privacy policies, which we periodically review and update.

If you choose to communicate with us over the Internet, we may request personally identifiable information from you necessary for us to process your request for information, respond to your questions or deliver a product or service. Personally identifiable information is any information that can be used to identify you, such as your name, address, web address or HAP number. When you send information to us using email or through one of our Internet services requiring an ID and password, the information may be shared with our employees and contractors who need to know the information to respond to your request and as permitted by law. We keep some of this information for a period of time as determined necessary by us.

Information collected when you respond to surveys and promotions on our web site will be used for internal purposes, including developing web site information and services. We may inform you of new products and services from HAP based on the information you provide us.

Using Email and Internet Services Requiring an ID and Password

There are a number of risks you should consider before using email to communicate with us: email can be circulated, forwarded and stored in numerous paper and electronic files; email can be intercepted, altered, forwarded or used without authorization or detection; email senders can easily misaddress an email; backup copies of email may exist even after the sender deletes the email; employers and online services have the right to inspect email transmitted through their systems; email is easier to falsify than handwritten or signed documents; and email can be used to introduce viruses into computer systems. Confidentiality of Internet communications cannot be guaranteed by HAP. Use of the Internet is solely at your own risk.

Links To Other Web Sites

We have links from our web site to a number of different health care related web sites. When you click on one of these links, you leave www.hap.org and link to another web site not controlled by HAP. We do not control the privacy policies or security measures of any these health care related sites. You should read the privacy statements on the other sites you visit to understand their privacy practices.

Security

HAP has taken steps to make all information received from our online visitors as secure as possible against unauthorized access and use. All information is protected by our security measures, which we periodically review and update.

We use security technology to protect you during your Internet communications with us. This security includes server authentication, privacy using encryption, and data integrity. Your personal information is protected from unauthorized access by a secure firewall and security infrastructure. During transmission of information using one of our Internet services requiring an ID and password, your privacy is protected by Secure Socket Layer (SSL) 2048-bit encrypting software. We employ extensive physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to maintain the security of your information. HAP also conducts periodic reviews of its web security to ensure that our electronic security safeguards remain up-to-date and effective.

Safeguarding Your Identification Number

You must take all reasonable precautions to safeguard your Identification Number (ID). This ID allows the user to access confidential information. Such access is provided solely to facilitate the performance of legitimate business functions. Please ensure that you share your ID only with those individuals who require such access to perform legitimate business functions on your behalf. You remain responsible for any use, or misuse, of your ID by you or your employees or agents.

Here's What You Can Do To Protect Your Internet Communications

There are things you can do to improve the privacy and security of your Internet communications. Here are a few of them:

When you register to use an Internet service requiring an ID and password, communications between us will be protected by Secure Socket Layer (SSL) 128-bit encrypting software.

Do not submit sensitive or confidential information over email links on this web site. Instead, use one of our Internet services requiring an ID and password, or contact us by telephone or mail.

Do not communicate sensitive or confidential information to us over the Internet from work. Your employer has the right to inspect your email, co-workers may see the information on a computer screen and you can inadvertently forward the email to co-workers or others.

After you submit information online, end your browser session before leaving your computer. This helps preserve the confidentiality of your data by ensuring that you are not leaving personally identifiable information on the computer for those who use the computer after you. This is especially important if you are using a computer in a public area.

If you communicate with us over the Internet, tell us when your email address changes.

Members Can Opt Out

If you prefer not to have your information available in Member Services Online, please notify the HAP Customer Service Department in writing. Mail your request to:

Once this request is processed, the system will not allow you or anyone to register online and use Member Services Online. If you decide you want to remove this restriction after opting out, notify the Customer Service Department in writing at the above address. You should also contact Customer Service if you receive email from us that you do not wish to receive in the future.

Changes to This Statement

We periodically review and update our privacy policies and security measures. When we do so we may need to change or update this statement and reserve the right to do so. All updates and changes automatically apply to you without notice.

If you do not believe that the policies in this Internet Privacy Statement give you the Internet privacy and security protection you need, you have the ability and right to stop interacting with HAP over the Internet by exiting this web site now.